Multilayer compositions have been utilized for many years. The concept of a multilayer is that the positive properties of two or more materials are combined with the structural integrity of each material being essentially uncompromised. Usually the positive properties of one material off-set or counter balance the weaker properties of the second material. For example, among the positive properties of polycarbonate are high heat resistance and impact strength. However polycarbonate has a relatively high transmission rate for certain gases, oxygen and carbon dioxide for example. Polyvinyl chloride does not have very high resistance to impact or heat but has excellent resistance to the transmission of oxygen and carbon dioxide. Therefore a multilayer composition utilizing polycarbonate adjacent to polyvinylchloride can be employed in structures wherein the properties of high impact resistance, high heat resistance and high resistance to oxygen and carbon dioxide transmission are necessary.
Although many of these multilayer compositions can be hypothesized on the basis of laminating a material possessing certain strong properties with a material having weaknesses in those same property areas, certain practical considerations inhibit successful implementation of this theory. The two materials are in intimate contact at their interface. This juncture or interface should provide a sufficiently strong interaction with respect to the processing conditions which the multilayer structure undergoes that a tight, firm bond is maintained. Such conditions to which the multilayer can be exposed include heat, pressure, humidity, liquid chemicals, gases and the like or various combinations of these conditions. The propensity of the two layers to maintain this tight, firm bond is generally known as the "compatibility" of the two layers. When the two materials are incompatible, the utility of the multilayer structure is severely inhibited or useless. In order to bind two relatively incompatible layers, a tie layer is generally employed joining the two incompatible layers by "tieing" them together. This tie layer usually enjoys good compatibility with both incompatible layers and is aligned between the two incompatible layers.
Aromatic polycarbonate is a particularly useful material for multilayer technology because of its high heat and impact resistance. However, it is incompatible to a varying degree with a number of other resins. Of particular concern is its incompatibility with olefin containing resins.
A tie material which is particularly effective for tieing aromatic polycarbonate with olefin containing polymers has been discovered. This tie layer can provide a multilayer structure which has the additional advantage of stability at relatively high temperatures as measured by its resistance to peeling into separate layers.